


My Husband, The Stranger

by vamptramp0348



Category: Danish Actor RPF, Hannibal (TV) RPF, Real Person Fiction
Genre: Anger, Angst, Cheating, Difficult Decisions, Exposure, Extramarital Affairs, F/M, Family Drama, Married Life, Sad, Secret Relationship, Truth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-29
Updated: 2018-05-08
Packaged: 2019-04-29 17:10:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 22,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14477385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vamptramp0348/pseuds/vamptramp0348
Summary: One late night phone call on Mads and Hanne's anniversary challenges everything Hanne thought she knew about Mads and their marriage.  Finding Chauntelle, a woman he not only had an affair with a whole other existence complete with children.  Working her way through their history Hanne must make painful decisions regarding she and Mads's future.





	1. The Call/Revelations

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: This body of work is entirely fiction no situations depicted are true. The way real living persons are depicted in this body of work are fictional as well.

**December 02, 2017**

　

Peals of laughter filled the empty halls of Hanne and Mads's house as he attempted to carry her into their bedroom, kicking the door open but he was so drunk he almost dropped her "Mads be careful" she giggled.

　

"We've been married for eighteen years have I ever let you down before?" he asked in a slur smiling at her. Even though his eyes were glazed they were still beautiful and he though he had aged he was still the most handsome man in the world to her.

　

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his lips "You still capture my heart Mr. Mikkelsen" Hanne whispered as he laid her down on the bed.

　

"You mean you're not ready to kick my ass yet?" he laughed removing his tie and shirt.

　

"No" she shook her head with a big smile on her face "Well then I haven't been doing my job but maybe you just have a heart of gold and love this idiot for who he is"

　

"I think it's that, I wouldn't take anything for you" Hanne reached her hand up and stroked his face. They sat there in silence but it was warm and blissful "So am I getting any tonight?" he broke the silence cracking a smile. Hanne shook her head laughing "Married for eighteen but together for thirty and you're still horny?"

　

"I'm always horny baby, I'm a man" he gave her a wink. "Well, I'm sorry honey but I'm too tired" she gave him a mock sad face he sighed getting up from the bed putting his phone on the night stand beside the bed "Alright I'm gonna go take a shower then. A nice cold one" he muttered the last part of his breath heading into the ensuite bathroom.

　

Hanne groaned as she had to get up and get changed for bed she was rifling through her dresser drawer when Mads's phone lit up on the stand and began buzzing around. She looked over her shoulder at it oddly who could have been calling so late? By the time she got dressed for bed and got back to it the phone had finished "Honey?!" she called into the bathroom but he didn't answer the water must've been going already. Hanne shrugged it off going to her side of the bed and crawled in she was trying to wait for Mads to curl in next to her before she fell asleep but she was far too tired to wait.

　

Mads came out of the bathroom toweling off to see Hanne had already fell asleep he sighed it had become their life anymore her sleeping with her back turned and he having to masturbate. Nothing made him feel older sometimes, he threw the towel on the high back chair in the corner then went in his set of drawers for underwear Hanne stirred a little hearing the drawer open and shut "Your phone went off who's calling so late?" she said in a groggy tone.

　

"Not sure" he answered slipping his legs into his underwear and pulling them up she sat her head up for a moment to see the towel "Mads that towel better find it's way to the hamper in the bathroom"

　

He looked at her then at the towel and waited until her head went back down on the pillow "Yeah it will when you wake up and decide to put it in there" he said chortling he sat down on the bed and picked up his phone. He tapped the screen twice then slid the lockscreen up he checked to see who is missed caller was. Mads looked over his shoulder as if to make sure Hanne wasn't suddenly sitting up behind him he quickly deleted the call history then connected it to the charger. Mads laid down above the covers with hands cupped behind his damp head staring up at the ceiling, a thousand thoughts raced through his mind but he chalked it up to all the beer he drank at their surprise anniversary party their children threw for them. It was hard to believe they had been together that long he was convinced she was going to leave their first year but here they were thirty years together and eighteen spent as husband and wife.

　

Mads was confident he knew Hanne inside and out but he wondered if there were anything he didn't know. He turned his head to look at her he knew she'd never take a lover unless it was when she was much younger but even then he doubted it, she was madly in love with him. He pondered if she believed she knew him fully, of course she did Hanne had absolute trust in Mads. That was her only flaw.

　

When Mads couldn't stand the thoughts anymore he turned onto his side and profiled against Hanne. She felt the heat of his body press against her back and his arm interlock around her she moaned softly in her sleep feeling at peace. He laid his face aside her "I love you Hanne" he whispered into her ear she was in too deep a sleep but he knew she could hear him when she laced her fingers into the back of his hand and gave it a squeeze. He drifted off to sleep unaware of how everything was about to come crashing down.

　

**3:29 AM; December 03, 2017**

　

The loud buzzing on the wood of the stand that lasted for a few minutes didn't do much to raise Mads or Hanne but when it happened three times in a row Mads was awakened. "Who is calling you?" Hanne huffed releasing his arm to let him get up and answer it his face turned an ashen gray when he saw who it was.

　

"Mads answer the damn thing tell them it's after three in the morning here in Denmark" Hanne grumbled shitfing around to sit up.

　

Mads slid the green button across the screen and put it to his ear "Hello..."

　

"Mads you need to get here as fast as you can..." a woman's frantic voice came across the line.

　

"No! You need to quit calling it's late" he hissed trying to end the call as quickly as he could.

　

"What?! No! Mads it's Matthias he's really sick. We're at Rigshospitalet he's been throwing up all night last night and he couldn't control his bladder"

　

"Alright I'll come later today okay?"

　

"Mads you're not hearing me! Our son might need surgery he's having renal failure I've been trying to call you. I know you're with her but we need you now. You know I wouldn't call unless it was an emergency"

　

His heart began thudding harder in his chest as he processed her words "Alright I'll be there as soon as I can if anything changes call me back" he hung up quickly and sprang into action.

　

"What is it? Is it Carl? Viola? Lars?" Hanne pressed him for answers as she watched him rush around getting dressed in a hurry.

　

"No, they're all fine this is...something else. I have to go" he threw a pair of jeans and a sweater on then went into the closet for a pair of boots and a heavy coat. Hanne threw the covers aside and followed him into the closet "Mads what is going on? Who was that?"

　

He wasn't budging on the answer he just kept at steady pace of trying get out of the house he brushed past her as if she hadn't said a word. Hanne chased him all the way down to the foyer "Mads! Answer me!" she grabbed the keys up before he could "Hanne I need those and I need them now. I'm not playing games"

　

"Well, I need answers looks like it's a trade" she held them out of his reach when dove for them from her hand.

　

"I don't have time for this bullshit! Give me my fucking keys!" he went again but this time shoved her against the wall frightening her as he tried again to take them away she clutched them so tight a key was embedding into her flesh and her knuckles were whitening.

　

Mads went to say something when his phone rang again "Shit!" he cursed before answering "I'm trying to get there what's wrong?"

　

"The doctor needs to talk to both of us" Hanne could hear it was a woman and she was close enough to hear her clearly.

　

"I'm trying okay? I just hit a little snag"

　

"Try harder Mikkelsen our baby boy needs his daddy"

　

Hanne's mouth dropped open and her heart fell but Mads didn't have time to register her feelings "What hospital did you say again?"

　

"Rigshospitalet please whatever is keeping you take care of that shit I'm going out of my fucking mind right now"

　

When Mads hung up he held his hand out for the keys "We can talk about this later right now..."

　

"A son? You...you have another son? That woman, what is her name? She sounded American..." Hanne was going to pieces. Mads reached out and took the keys from her "Like I said we can talk about this later" he refused to answer her questions at that moment. He left her just standing against the wall in shock her entire life crumbling before her.

 


	2. Hanne - The Lucky Ones

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is told in Hanne's narrative and there will be other chapters that will be spoken in other character's narratives.

I thought we were happy. I thought we were the lucky ones, I mean we've watched helplessly as some of our friends marriages fell apart but not us. No, we were the ones everyone envied and the model for our children to someday aspire to have. But it was all a lie?

　

Right now I don't know what's what and I'm suffering from devastation and you're not here to explain yourself. The questions are piling up and I'm not only wondering about your other woman, God I don't like saying that or even thinking of it but she exists. How long has she been in your life? How old is your son? What is his name? Does he look like you? How old is she? Is she younger than me? Does she love you better? STOP! It's just too much!

　

How long have you been lying to me? Cheating on me?! Were you unhappy with our life and that's why you sought another? I should've known this would happen, all my girlfriends warned me about you but I couldn't be saved because I **loved** you. You were such a wild man and I know they were all jealous that I tamed you - or at least I believed I did.

　

I'm replaying every single memory trying to read you all over again to find the slightest hint of discontent. You never acted like you were hiding something you managed to hide this so well, if there was an award for that you'd win. And oh God what about Viola and Carl? I'm afraid of what this will do to them.

　

What if she were lying and the boy isn't sick? What if she just did that to make you leave? Does she even know about me and our family? It's after seven and I'm wide awake sitting in the floor in the spot you left me cracking inside going absolutely insane. How was I supposed to go back to sleep? Oh because you said we'd talk about this later? Well, I'm not waiting I'm coming to that hospital and I will have my answers.

 


	3. My Husband, The Stranger

4:25 AM

　

Mads entered into the hospital's emergency entrance area and walked to the information desk "May I help you?" the woman looked up from her computer.

　

"Yes, my son was brought in by his mother I want to know what room he's in"

　

"Name?"

　

"Uh Matthias, Matthias Mikkelsen" she typed while he looked around seeing if he'd spot his son's mother.

　

"He was admitted so he's no longer in the emergency department he's on our pediatric floor in room 5114"

　

"Thank you" he booked it to the elevator and thankfully got on alone. Mads laid his head back against the wall this couldn't be happening. Both his worlds had just collided in the worst way possible with his son's life hanging in the balance. Maybe this was karma, a cosmic punishment for leading a double life. He knew someday it may come back to bite him in the ass but he wished that it didn't have to be his son paying for it.

　

He got off the elevator on the fifth floor he passed by the nurse's station looking for the room "Sir!?" a nurse called after him making stop "Shit" he said under his breath and turned as she approached "I'm sorry but visiting hours do not begin until eight"

　

"Please my son was brought in through the ER and his mom called me to come because he may need surgery"

　

"What's his name?"

　

"Matthias Mikkelsen"

　

"The end of the hall his mom is in there with him I'll call the doctor and let him know you're here" she nodded him on he sprinted towards the door.

　

When he entered into the room his heart nearly broke in two "There you are, what took you so long?"

　

"I got caught up Chaun I'm sorry. Is he asleep?" he took the seat on the other side of the bed "Yeah they had to give him something but he's fighting for his life Mads" her green eyes looked up at him searching for hope, wanting to know he could take this all away.

　

Mads reached across their son's little chest and took her hand "We'll get him through this Chauntelle don't worry"

　

"He's just a boy Mads, a five year old boy who loves dinosaurs and pirates. He's watched Karate Kid over fifty times and wants to take Tae Kwon Do. Why him?" she broke down and locked her fingers into his and stroked the boy's arm up and down with her other hand.

　

"I don't know but I'd gladly take his place. But the doctor is going to come and we're going to figure it out. Where is Ava and Maksim?"

　

"With my grandmother. Does **she** know?"

　

"She was the reason I was late. I'm going to have to come clean there's no getting around it she heard you on the phone"

　

"Mads for what's it worth I'm sorry to have to call you but this takes precedence"

　

"I agree. If you hadn't called and something would've happened to him I don't think I could forgive you. Lets deal with this and then I'll deal with that" he said picking up his son's hand and kissing the back of it.

**

　

8:00 AM

　

Hanne came into the main entrance of the hospital she came to the information desk "Good morning how may I help you?" the friendly woman greeted her.

　

"Yes, I am looking for - my nephew he was brought in last night and I think he may still be here" she didn't know what to say and she didn't want to just bust out with he was the son of her husband and his secret lover.

　

"Name?"

　

"Excuse me?" Hanne asked "Your nephew's name?"

　

"Um last name is Mikkelsen" she wasn't sure if his child beared his name or not but it was enough for the woman "We have one Mikkelsen on the pediatric floor so I guess that's him. He's in room 5114 but unfortunately you'll have to wait in the pediatric waiting room they're only allowing immediate family for now so you may want to contact your sister or brother and tell them that you're up there"

　

"Thank you" she slung her purse up on her shoulder and walked to the elevators she hit the button when and waited until it dinged and opened up she allowed the ones already on to exit she got on and as the doors were closing she heard a woman shout "Hold that please!" Hanne immediately pressed the open button so the woman could get on.

　

It was an elder woman with short and wispy silver hair she looked vibrant for such an older woman, she boarded with two teenagers, a boy and a girl. Who when Hanne looked at them it struck her they looked just like Mads. "What floor?" the woman asked looking at Hanne who was staring at the boy and girl "Uh fifth please"

　

"We're going to the same place. Your grandson in here too?" the woman asked and Hanne knew by the accent she was an American "Um no my...nephew" she held up the lie "Your grandson is in here?"

　

"My great grandson, their brother. He was brought in last night but I was staying with these two and couldn't be with my granddaughter thankfully their father made it"

　

"Well I hope he'll be alright" it was like a horrific nightmare there wasn't just one child there were three and two of them were teenagers so Mads didn't just have an affair with this woman, he had an entire life apart from her and their children.

　

Both children stood still next to their great grandmother Hanne studied their side profiles the boy was standing right next to her. He was the spitting image of Mads and had many similiarties to her Carl but he looked like he could be no more than thirteen or fourteen and the girl was the same but a softer and more feminine version of her father she was probably around fourteen or fifteen an indication the children were born more than likely either months to a year apart but how old was the youngest?

　

The elevator opened letting them all off she headed for the waiting room while the older woman went to the desk with the kids. She took a seat on a small two seat sofa in the center of the room that was back to back with another one just like it how was she going to do this? Mads was no doubt busy with the mother of his children making decisions regarding their son's future and she didn't feel comfortable bringing it up to the grandmother of Mads's lover especially not in front of his children.

　

She could still hear the woman talking when she heard another woman join them "Grandma!" that was the voice from the phone. Hanne got up quickly setting her purse down she peeked through the door of the waiting room to get a look at the woman, the **other** woman. Hanne was shocked at what she saw, this woman was definitely younger than both she and Mads both her teenage children were taller than she was she had to been under five feet tall. She was curvy in the right places, Hanne speculated her breasts were fake but it may have just been the bitterness. Her long brown hair cascaded over her shoulders framing her face to make her appear younger but then again she wasn't wearing makeup so she looked twelve.

　

She caught her grandmother up to speed and mentioned Mads that he wasn't leaving the room then sent the two teens back to see their dad and brother "You need to get you something to eat"

　

"Grandma I'm not hungry. I just want my baby to be okay and then I'll eat"

　

"Yeah and you'll probably be sick by then too. You know how this works you've been a mother for fifteen years you know if you aren't well enough you cannot take care of them. Matthias is in the best hands right now okay? Please get you and Mads something to eat I'll stay here and look after all of them" her grandmother put her hand on her shoulder.

　

"Alright I'll go get us something to eat but if anything happens or changes you call me ASAP. I mean anything"

　

"I know and I will do it. Take care of yourself don't make me kick your hiney!"

　

It was sweet the relationship they had and it made Hanne believe that maybe this woman wasn't aware of her either she could be just another innocent victim. She backed away from view as the woman turned and went to the elevator taking her seat. The door opened and in walked the grandmother "You didn't stop by the desk you have to get a visitor's badge from there or are you waiting for them to come out of surgery?"

　

"Uh actually...I lied. I don't have a nephew here but your great grandchildren are my husband's children"

　

The woman's green eyes bulged "Yikes so it's finally out now huh?"

　

She went to the coffee machine and took out a Styrofoam cup and loaded the pot with a pod of coffee "Wait, you know about me?" Hanne rose from her seat and followed her around the room as she gathered sugar and creamer "Yes" she said shaking the sugar packets and dumping them into the empty cup then put it under the maker so it would drip directly.

　

"So, does your granddaughter know about me?"

　

The woman let out a heavy sigh "Yes she does but the children do not" Hanne felt a tightness in her chest.

　

She fell into a vacant seat clutching her heart to hear that this woman wasn't naïve or innocent and that she had direct knowledge of her existence in Mads's life but went through with it anyways made her sick.

　

"I'm Cynthia by the way, I mean it's not a good time for intros but it's rude not to...you know what I'm going to go ahead and tell you I'm plucky and quirky so don't mind me. I know this is probably a devastating shock to you. But may I offer some advice?"

　

Hanne blinked a couple times then looked up at Cynthia "Yes?"

　

"Go home. This is not the time nor the place for you to stage a confrontation between your husband and my granddaughter. Chauntelle is in a fragile way because of Matty being sick and she most likely will react badly to your presence. I don't need nor want my granddaughter to go to jail because she beat you up. There will be time and I would prefer when she isn't feeling..."

　

"Beat me up? She looks like a teenager herself and if anyone has the right to punch anyone it's me!" Hanne outraged.

　

"Yeah I understand but I have to disagree and don't let her looks fool you she's - well lets just put it this way you get on her bad side and she's a mega insane bitch. You're too close to her children right now for her comfort. Listen just go home and wait for your husband"

　

"No!" Hanne stood up and held her ground "I came for answers and I'm not leaving until I get them!"

　

Cynthia's coffee finished she sighed taking it from the platform and stirring in the cream "Okay but you do so at your own peril. But if you wish we can take a walk to the cafeteria and I'll fill you in with what I know and that's pretty much all of it" she offered Hanne knew she was just trying to get her away so Chauntelle wouldn't find her in the waiting room.

　

Hanne picked up her purse then turned to Cynthia "Alright but you have to promise not to spare any details but I still will have my confrontation with your grand daughter"

　

Cynthia nodded "Alright I won't spare you and you're more than welcome to confront her when the time is right."


	4. The Other Woman I - The Beginning

Cynthia sat a cup of coffee in front of Hanne "Thank you" she accepted reaching for sugar and the canister of powder creamer "Sure. So I guess I'll start with any questions you might have" Cynthia said taking a seat across the table from Hanne.

　

Hanne clanked the spoon around in the cup then held the bottom of the cup lightly in her palm and her finger around the handle she took a breath in and held it before releasing "You know before I left the house I had so many questions and now I'm trying to prioritize them in my head but I guess how old is Chauntelle is it?"

　

"Yes, she's thirty-four"

　

Hanne nearly choked on her coffee "She's twenty-four years younger than I am so if her daughter is fifteen, I heard you say she's been a mom for fifteen years she and Mads met when?"

　

"They met November 2000"

　

"We were married December of 2000. Please tell me the affair didn't start then" Hanne looked down at her wedding rings not sure if she really wanted the answer.

　

"No, it began February of 2001 I know that doesn't feel any better. We don't have to do this right now if you can't stomach it" Cynthia reached across the table and took her free hand as she held onto the cup with one hand. "It feels strange be comforted by the woman who is the grandmother of my husband's lover"

　

Cynthia withdrew her hand "I'm sorry I wish I had better things to say"

　

"If you don't mind me asking where is Chauntelle's mother? Or her father? I mean why are you here? I would think the boy's grandparents would want to be there for him"

　

Cynthia traced her thumb around the rim of her cup "Well, both of Chauntelle's parents abandoned her at six years old. They were teen parents my daughter was heavy into cocaine and Chaun's father was an alcoholic, it was the she got pregnant to trap him situation and neither really wanted little Chaun. She came home from school one day and they both had vacated the home and she continued to try to live there by herself - if the school hadn't took notice she was recycling dirty clothes and trying to steal food from the cafeteria to take home, three months after my husband and I may have never known what happened. See we lived in Southern California and the genius alky got a mechanic's job in an airport out in Texas relocated them. My Johnny and I took her in and raised her"

　

"So did you teach her that having an affair with a married man was okay? Or do I have her lovely parents to thank for that?" Hanne wasn't going to be moved by Chauntelle's sad childhood.

　

"I didn't tell you that to make you feel sorry for her. We raised her liberally there wasn't a lot of rules and we took a creative stab at discipline but she knew what she was doing was wrong. What would you have me do back then? She was seventeen and just four months shy of being out of a rehab"

　

"Addiction they say is hereditary she fell into some bad habits?"

　

"Her mother returned to our doorstep when Chaun was thirteen, she acted as if she wanted to bond with her and Chaun accepted because she hated being without a parent. Don't get me wrong Johnny and I we loved her like our own but c'mon you had a mom right? You loved having her there to guide you and teach you things well she gets Chaun to try coke with her to 'bond' and leaves so Chaun went bat shit crazy dealing with it. It took us four years to get her clean we sent her to my ex her biological grandfather Pierre he's wealthy and he got her into a communal rehab somewhere in Spain. When your husband met her she was at her weakest and most vulnerable..."

　

**_November 06, 2000; Dubai_ **

_"Grandma I'm fine. No, really I am..." Chauntelle sighed walking around the kitchen with the cordless phone she looked out the blinds at the pool area there was a handsome stranger that had just laid out on one of the pool side chairs "...I love and miss you too. Um no plans to return to Cali yet - I'll call you back because some strange guy just plopped down on one of my chairs by my pool...okay so it's grandpapa's pool and chair yeah unhuh - bye" she sighed relief hanging up._

_Chauntelle slid the glass door open smoothly then strutted across the lawn to stand in front of him "Um you're blocking my sun"_

_"Is that a fact well you're in **my** chair so what's up with that?" she crossed her arms throwing attitude at him. He smirked sitting up taking his sunglasses down his brown eyes drew her to him but she tried to play it off "You must Chauntelle, Pierre told me about you"_

_"Okay so you know my name and my grandpapa but who are you and where are you from? I'm usually good with accents but I'm having trouble with yours"_

_"I'm Mads and I am from Denmark. You are obviously American I thought you'd be French like your grandfather, I mean your name it is a French name"_

_"Yeah well he knocked up an American girl while he was visiting Florida one summer, my mother was the result and then me"_

_"Obivously" Mads teased she scoffed "Did you just...okay you Danish dork how did you meet my grandpapa?"_

_"Do you think you can take the **empty** seat next to me? I can talk and tan at the same time"_

_Chauntelle clicked her tongue and sat down with her arms still crossed "Okay, I met your grandpapa on the set of this made for television film I'm doing we're shooting in Spain but the leading lady quit so he offered a ride on his jet and for me stay in the guest house here for some down time until they find a replacement. He's a really nice guy"_

_"Yeah the best. Why'd she quit? You're kinda good looking I guess is she like a lesbian or something?"_

_"How old are you?" he asked she perked up hoping he was asking because he was interested in her "I'm nineteen" she lied._

_He began laughing "Oh really? You look twelve"_

_"Fuck you do twelve year olds have boobs like this? Or an ass like this?" she asked raising up to slap her bottom._

_"She quit because a family member died and the director was being a prick and wouldn't give her time off. So how old are you really?"_

_Chauntelle rolled her eyes and uncrossed her arms "I'm actually seventeen, I celebrated my birthday on Halloween"_

_"That explains it" he said pushing his shades back up and laying back "Explains what?"_

_"The way you talk and act. You're still a child"_

_"I am anything but a child Mads" she pronounced his name wrong and emphasized that she was doing so on purpose._

_"It's pronounced like Mess you know like the end of Thomas you're saying it the way it is spelled"_

_"Yah no shit Sherlock that's how I'm gonna say it Mads. Don't get Mads about it" she began laughing. He shook his head "Grow up"_

_"Oh like you're such a big grown man huh? Are all Danish people so serious?" she rested her feet on the side of his chair and pressed her bare feet into his skinny legs "You have girly legs for a man"_

_"Why are you here alone? Shouldn't you be with your mommy and daddy? Preferrably on a child leash?"_

_"Well it'll be damn hard for me to be with both my mommy and daddy considering my mommy lives in Seattle with her new husband and two sons and my daddy lives in Silicon Valley with his new wifey, son and daughter. They really have nuclear families and I just don't fit into them because see I'm the past and as my mother told me on the phone last year I just bring back such awful memories of her time spent with my dad and her addictions. I'm considered an adult in Europe where I was before I decided I need a vacation, I don't need supervision" she got up from the chair and went to go in the house when Mads reached for her hand she stood awkwardly as he rubbed his thumb across her fingers._

_"I'm sorry your parents turned out to be such assholes but you need to let that go and move forward with your life. They've moved on and forgot about you so fuck them you should do the same. Make something of your life Chauntelle don't let what went wrong block what could go right"_

_Her face burned red as she pulled her hand away and ran back into the house leaving the door open. She ran into the downstairs den shutting the door and locking it Chauntelle sat curled up in a ball in a recliner she didn't feel comfortable when people were supportive and she sure the fuck didn't know what to do with encouragement. Chauntelle wiped her eyes when she heard a splash in the pool she moved to the black leather sofa that was in front of the huge panoramic window she peeked out of the blinds to see Mads swimming around then climb out once he was good and cooled off. She bit her bottom lip watching him towel off he was absolutely gorgeous._

_"He probably would never be interested in me...but I'll have fun finding out" she said to herself jumping up off the sofa and going to change into her bikini. She had her sights set on him._

_When she emerged from the house wearing an almost revealing bikini it looked more like bra and panties she pulled her shades down her nose a little to give a seductive look. He saw right through her "Oh no you're not trying to seduce me are you?"_

_"What makes you think I can't?" she said in an alluring low tone._

_He leaned in to whisper to her "I like how confident you are but I'm engaged and I have two kids"_

_"Well, why didn't you bring them with you?"_

_"It's November so my kids won't be on holiday break until Christmas and my wife has to stay back and look after them. Besides I hope not to be here too long so production will start again"_

_"Suit yourself" she pushed her sunglasses back up then placed her towel over her chair. Chauntelle took the scrunchie around her wrist and used it to put her hair up she could feel Mads staring at her from behind "For a happily soon to be married man you sure don't mind looking at my ass"_

_His face broke into a smile "Okay you caught me. I never said you weren't beautiful enough that's not the problem"_

_"There are no problems Mads only obstacles and you have to be determined to overcome them" she said holding the rail as she got into the water taking a seat on the top step._

_"Are you trying to say my fiance and children are obstacles to you?"_

_"No, they're yours. Did you know that men struggle with monogamy more than women? Monogamy sounds so much like monotony and it kills men's libidos" she lapped some water in her hands and poured it all over herself. Mads came and sat on the side dipping his legs into the water "Yeah where'd you hear that?"_

_"My grandmother is a psychologist. It's a biological factor and we tell men they are wrong for it but you guys can't help it. How long have you been with your fiance?"_

_"Thirteen years"_

_"Damn surprised you're dick's not dead by now. See men lose interest when they're forced to be in a committed relationship which if they're not being sexually satisfied they'll start to default on the providing the woman emotional satisfaction that she craves. My grandfather was married when my grandmother met him, they had a threesome with her. Is that something your fiance would be into? Because I'm bi-sexual"_

_Mads licked his tongue across his lips and held it at the corner of his mouth "That's an interesting proposal but no she would never be into it. Look Hanne and I are happy and both very satisfied"_

_She snorted, "Yeah you're friends with my grandpapa who is a notorious playboy. He has been known to have had sixteen girlfriends at one time he's the French's answer to Hugh Hefner just without the porn and I know he only really associates with gentlemen whom share his views"_

_"It's not like that, he's providing the land for on location shooting and we struck up a conversation when I asked for a cigarette it's not like we went to a gentleman's club. But sixteen girlfriends? Fuck he's probably gets a lot of headaches"_

_"Tell me this did you propose because you want to get married or because she nagged you about how long were you going to hold out on her?" she said the last part in a mocking tone. Making him laugh "That doesn't matter or prove anything. I love her and she's really helped me grow up"_

_"Ahh older woman, mommy issues?"_

_"No and she's only four years my senior not a decade. You're seventeen okay do you know how old I am?"_

_"If I had to venture a guess I'd say thirties or forties?"_

_"Forties? That's just hateful. I'm just sixteen days short of my thirty-fifth birthday. So daddy issues?"_

_Chauntelle threw her head back laughing "Obviously. I'll let you go for now hot stuff but if married life ever gets to be too monotonous and you'd like some spice come find me" she said removing her sunglasses to wink then dipped head first into the water and swam across underneath. Mads sat along the side of the pool watching her as she surfaced and floated on her back her eyes were shut but she could feel his eyes on her. She smiled as the sun bathed her in it's light the seed was planted._

 


	5. Chauntelle - It's All Falling Apart

I guess I couldn't expect it to last forever I mean after all he wasn't mine to begin with. Honestly though I didn't think it'd go this far as it did. When I met him I wasn't stable but I was sure trying to make everyone believe I was. I came out of rehab numb and blank then angry but still blank. My life had no meaning or purpose anymore not that it had much of one before that.

　

When I met Mads I was still a child in many ways but I wanted to play grown folk games. I don't regret my time with him, he took me as a girl and made me the woman I am. I blossomed because of him and I have three beautiful reasons to live.

　

My life felt like a long road to nowhere and that I wasn't destined to do anything but be in and out of rehabs but something happened the moment I found out I was pregnant with Ava, I had become responsible for another being and my outlook on myself, my body, my life and others changed. Holding her tiny body in my arms after such unbearable pain that I would have never guessed I'd go through two additional times - the light was found. My daughter gave me the purpose I was seeking and I wouldn't have had her without Mads.

　

Even though I'm a wreck right now about my son I'm also a wreck about Mads and his wife. She knows now and there's no denial available, it's out in the open and when the chaos of Matthias's condition settles down it's going to have to be dealt with.

　

Bad news for me the mistress always gets the shaft. She has put in more time and was his first love, I have always been on borrowed time. To be honest and if anyone ever heard me would hate me for saying it but what did she really lose? What was really taken away from her? He was there for her and her children as well as my children and me. Mads was always artful enough to be a good husband and father to both families, she was never neglected or abused. It's society and their damn views about how you pick one person and tether yourself to them for all of eternity or something like that but they don't know Mads or me. He loves her and always has that never stopped even when we were together and I didn't begrudge him or try to force him to leave her. I didn't want that hassle and I didn't want a ring around my finger, I still don't.

　

I just want the man I fell in love with to be able to stay in my life. My grandma was right it would all come toppling over eventually but I never want to say she was right and she'll never push it on me. I don't know where this is going or how it'll all pan out I just don't want to lose, he is all I have and have ever known. I don't want my children's lives devastated even though it was inevitable - I hope they will be able to forgive us. God how I hope.

 


	6. The Other Woman II - When I'm Not Looking

Hanne sat there quietly waiting for Cynthia to return she brought back a box of donuts and another round of coffee "I thought you should try to eat something" she said opening the box up.

　

"I think I may have lost my appetite indefinitely. Even if Chauntelle was vulnerable it doesn't excuse her sleeping with my husband or even offering herself to him. But it most certainly doesn't let him off the hook, believe me right now my husband is number one on my bastard list. She was a young girl and even if she had no concept of morality he sure the hell did"

　

Cynthia took a glazed donut from the box with a napkin and set it in front of her "I'm not walking you through their history to change your mind. You wanted everything and I'm giving it to you"

　

"Yes, but you have an affection for your granddaughter which I don't hold against you so I think you don't realize you're more sympathetic to her than I am. Are you close to Mads? Do you have a relationship with him?"

　

Cynthia took a sip of her coffee then set it back down "I have come to be close to him of course. He's the father of my great grandchildren and he has been a kind man to my granddaughter and to them. I take the high road and never judge anyone it's not my place, we all have to face up to the things we've done and take our responsibility. He knew that and she knew that otherwise it's not up to me to judge either one of them for their sins"

　

Hanne let out a sigh as if someone had knocked the wind slightly out of her "But you **knew** that he was married and you did nothing. You could've protested their union by not lending yourself to be apart of it. Or she was seventeen you could've made her come home! You could have persuaded her to leave him long before she got knocked up. People like you are part of the problem! You should've done more to help her or raised her with discipline otherwise she'll always believe there are no consequences for her actions!"

　

"You need someone to blame right now and you could be right but I didn't know about the two of them until after Ava was created. Seems my ex is the one who helped them along the way with their tryst and of course he would never tell me and neither would she. Are you sure you want me to keep going? Because this is where it gets ugly"

　

Hanne took a deep breath and exhaled "Go on I said everything and dammit I'm going to hear it"

　

_**February 17, 2001** _

_Mads sat in a small Paris cafe looking around and at his watch he was supposed to meet Pierre Petit, Chauntelle's grandfather at noon but he was twenty mintues late. He shook his head growing frustrated every second that ticked away he would give him a few more minutes then he'd leave he would take it as a sign that it wasn't going to happen. Five more additional minutes slipped away and Mads called it he got up from his chair when a sleek black car pulled up outside and a driver got out running around with the umbrella to open the back door on the passenger's side of the car. Sure enough he had arrived the tall and rotund man with thinning hair it was hard for Mads to believe he was a playboy but more than likely it was his money they wanted._

_The driver opened the door waiting until Pierre got inside "Go run my errands" his said with his thick French accent "Ahh Mads Mikkelsen you handsome devil how are you?" he came to Mads and kissed both his cheeks enthusiastically "I am well" Pierre took notice that he had his backpack in hand "You were leaving?"_

_"I thought you weren't going to show" he slouched the bag off his shoulder and followed Pierre to a corner booth in the very back so they could talk privately "Cigar?" he took out a gold case and offered him one but Mads shook his head Pierre didn't mind he took one out and it was already circumcised he lit it up "I do apologize for keeping you waiting but I didn't want to seem desperate" he joked they both shared a chuckle._

_"I was actually surprised you called, I'm sorry the project fell through but did you enjoy your time spent in my villa? The water is so serene down there I love it and I hope my little bella Chaun didn't give you any trouble"_

_"No, everything was great your little bella is actually why I called"_

_Pierre leaned in giving Mads a serious look "Oh yes? What about my little bella?"_

_"It's nothing bad trust me but I want to get in contact with her"_

_"For what if you don't mind me asking?" Pierre took a big puff on the cigar then blew the smoke up in the air._

_"Well, we got on so well I just wanted to see her again. You know find out how she is doing" he wasn't sure if Pierre would be so understanding if Mads had told him he wanted to have sex with his granddaughter._

_"I have just came from her apartment she is doing wonderful now so no need to worry about her. Unless she's been on your mind for another reason"_

_"Did you tell her you were meeting me?" Mads was going to gauge him "Perhaps. Come now Mads you are amongst a friend do be honest with me. My little bella she tells me everything. You're ready to add some spice to your life"_

_Mads broke into a smile as he took out a pack of cigarettes and opened them up taking one out then lighting it "I didn't know if you'd want to kill me or something"_

_"Ahh she's a woman and she can make her own decisions. She's very sweet on you and you're in luck she hasn't been plucked from the vine yet. I trust you will treat her delicately?"_

_Mads blew smoke rings "Definitely I would never do anything to hurt her"_

_"See to it that you don't. Here's her address but I have to ask what possesses a man as handsome as yourself to tie himself to just one woman anyways? When I was your age I had bedded numerous women sometimes simultaneously I never found that one woman I wanted to be locked up to for the rest of my life" Pierre said taking a slip of paper from inside his jacket pocket and slid it across the table._

_"Hanne is a special lady and she deserves the world all she wanted was for me to give her the commitment and I did but she wanted the wedding and the whole being one thing. I'm not a religious man so it was very conflicting promising these things in the sight of a god I don't even believe in but I did it for her"_

_Pierre nodded "And that was what over two months ago? Married life already dragging you down?"_

_Mads didn't answer instead he just grabbed the slip of paper "Thank you for this"_

_"Mads?" Pierre called to him before he could leave he looked back "Take care of my little bella she's at such a ripe age, you can lead her and guide her to being the best thing that ever happened to you because if you just abuse the privilege she could be the very thing that burns down your entire world"_

_Feeling strange about Pierre's words Mads walked down the many streets contemplating whether or not he should just go back to Denmark. He thought about Hanne she was in the middle of moving the family into a larger home and he was actually supposed to be in Paris on business but he had already sorted that out. He looked at the slip of paper then up at a building that had vines growing and looked pink but the numbers and the French name matched. "You do this once and then you get out, be a good husband" he told himself before walking up the steps to the front door._

_When the door opened it wasn't Chauntelle who answered "Oui?" it was heavyset woman with black hair and a mole at the corner of her left eye "Uhh pardon est-ce que Chauntelle vit ici?" he hadn't used his French very much but the woman smiled and nodded letting him inside._

_"Madame Chauntelle!" the woman called and Chauntelle appeared in the doorway from the kitchen wearing a pink silk robe when she saw Mads she pursed her lips into a smile "Merci Bridget" she dismissed the housekeeper who gave her a friendly head nod and went back to her duties._

_"What took you so long?" Chauntelle teased "I walked and you made your grandfather late meeting me" he retorted._

_"Not what I meant I was sure I'd hear from you before this" she led him into a sitting room "What did you expect me to run out on my wedding for you?"_

_"Ooh someone has a sharp tongue but no I didn't want that I just thought you'd overcome resistance sooner and succumb to your primal desires. You held out for a good three months and you still look unsure" she drew her legs up under her bottom making the robe open at the bottom revealing a matching thong._

_"I've never done anything like this before" Mads tried not to look directly between her legs but it was difficult and she knew it._

_"But I'm sure you've thought about it. All men do even if they don't admit it, it's how you guys cope being tied down to only one"_

_Bridget interrupted before Mads could reply setting down a large tray of tea and another housekeeper followed her bringing finger sandwiches and pastries "Merci" she thanked them but shooed them away "I'm not big on tea" he commented._

_"Well, I'm sorry the house is dry of alcohol it's part of my rehabilitation but lets stay on topic shall we?" Chauntelle said reaching for a macaroon and a napkin._

_"How is it you know so much about men and the way they think?" Mads took a couple finger sandwiches and studied them before biting into them._

_"I told you my grandmother is a psychologist and she used to have private sessions at our house well they were supposed to be private but anyone with ears can hear what's being said. Plus she has a great library of progressive books about men and women. If you don't want to do this Mads you don't have to I won't pressure you or stalk you it's just like that - either you do or don't"_

_He put the second sandwich back after he swallowed the first "That tastes like shit it's fucking cucumbers with some type of sauce or something. Look I want to do this with you but I don't want to leave my wife or anything"_

_"Okay that's cool I'm not stepping up to be the next Mrs. Mikkelsen but I think you're basically telling me you want a good and clean one night stand. Your one last stand to rebel against the institution of marriage?"_

_"Exactly. We fuck and I'm out"_

  
_Chauntelle dabbed her mouth of any crumbs then set the napkin down on the table she stood up and stood in front of Mads's knees she untied the robe and let it drop "I can handle that" she said straddling his lap. She began kissing his lips and trying to get into his jeans but he was conscious of her housekeepers "Hey we're not alone" he whispered seizing her hands._

_She giggled "You are pretty old do you think all sex has to be in a bedroom?"_

_"No, but it might be best especially when someone has maids running around"_

_"Bridget has been with my family for years since she was my age so she's seen a lot of shit that she cannot talk about because she's contractually obligated and Leona the same deal she hasn't been here long but she knows she cannot run her mouth. So relax they don't give a shit" she tried to get him again but he pushed her back a little from her assault._

_"I do care so where is the bedroom?"_

_Chauntelle sighed getting up and leading him by his hand out the room and down the hall to a door that opened up to a staircase she removed her thong and hung it on the outside of the door knob "That will let them know to stay out of here" she said with a wink leading him up the stairs._

_It was a small loft like bedroom with it's own bathroom Chauntelle plopped back on the white comforter as Mads undressed she watched with a burning curosity about his manhood. And he didn't disappoint her with it's size and girth "I knew it" she grinned wildly laying her head back._

_"Yeah?" he stood at the foot of the bed his knees touching the bottom of her feet he reached down and yanked her down the bed "Whoa! Get it cowboy!"_

_"You are fucking weird" Mads laughed giving his penis a few jerks to get it harder "Mmm that is so hot! Are you going to pop my cherry with that big cock?"_

_He had to pause for a moment "You are a little nasty girl aren't you?"_

_"Oh you have no idea baby. Give it to me Mads" she licked her lips reaching her hand down to pull at him._

_Mads looked down at her but began feeling a disconnect within himself he knew this was wrong and he could leave but she was there and she was ready to give him what he wanted. The small voice inside him begged him to leave but his dick was beginning to hurt for it. His fleshy desires began drowning out the small voice until it was silenced completely and all that remained was desire and hunger that needed to be filled and into madness he dove. There was no turning back._

**_Six months later; Copenhagen, Denmark_ **

_Sweat rolled down Mads's body as he pressed his palms firmly down into the mattress as he came. Chauntelle's legs loosened and dropped down she was as limp as a dish rag "You are fucking amazing!" she said huffing to catch her breath._

_Mads rolled over onto his side of the bed he sat up grabbing his pack of cigarettes and heading out to the balcony of Chauntelle's bedroom. She rolled over on her side to watch him she sighed there was something she had to tell him but he was being very distant to her. It may have been his guilt that he was still cheating on his wife but it came and went like a mood she would wait until it passed to tell him._

_He came back inside blowing out the last of the smoke "You gotta go?" she asked yawning and stretching "No, Hanne and the kids are on a holiday with some of her mom friends. I can stay a couple days if you want"_

_He seemed to be opening up again she patted the spot next to her to welcome him Mads went to put his underwear back on "I wouldn't bother with those they'll only get in my way when I'm recharged" she said reaching her arm up for him._

_Mads didn't bother with his briefs and instead got into the bed she wrapped her arm around his torso and laid her head on his chest. He reciprocated by wrapping an arm around her and kissing the top of her head "Hey I have something I need to tell you" she sounded hesitant and unsure of herself but he had every right to know._

_"You found another man?"_

_She couldn't understand why his mind went there "No" she leaned up to look at him "Mads I'm pregnant. I've been to see an obstetrician after I took a home test she says I'm just about thirteen weeks I had my appointment a few days ago"_

_"Fuck" Mads sighed "What are we going to do?" she asked "I don't know" he pulled away and sat up turning his back to her._

_"Well, in all fairness I didn't make this baby alone so I shouldn't be making the decisions alone"_

_"Can you just give me time to think?" he snapped at her grabbing his underwear off the floor and his cigarettes going back outside. Chauntelle couldn't tell if it were her nerves making her nauseous or her pregnancy but she had to make a beeline for the bathroom. She was used to vomiting when she was in rehab the first week was hell on earth but this was non-stop for the past two months. After flushing she put the lid down and laid her head on her arm and began sobbing Mads was standing in the bathroom doorway "Look I'm sorry I snapped at you, I know this is half my fault we need to talk about what we're doing about this"_

_She sat up and wiped her eyes "I'm scared. What if I'm a worse mother than my mother? I don't have much to offer them but I really still feel like I want them" she hugged her knees leaning her back against the bathtub._

_"Alright lets work from there then"_

_They sat in bed together silently for what felt like an eternity "I told you I didn't want to leave Hanne and I still don't" he broke the silence._

_"And I still don't want you to but this changes things you have to agree" she looked over at him._

_"Yes, but does it have to? I mean things between us are changing but does my entire life have to change as in the part that belongs to Hanne and my family?"_

_Chauntelle shifted around to face him "What the fuck did you just say? Because that was talking in circles kinda"_

_"I don't want to abandon you or our child but I can't have this come out to Hanne or anyone"_

_She began to get the jist of what he was saying "Are you saying you want both of us? But you want me to remain hidden away like your dirty little secret with our love child?"_

_"You make it sound bad. I want you and I to create a loving family for our child but that will not take me away from my wife and other children"_

_Chauntelle began laughing "Wow you have big dreams there buddy. We are just lovers who don't really know shit about one another so how are we going to give this child an illusion?"_

_"I'm not saying give them an illusion what I'm saying is we need to really get to know each other. Don't you want them to have what you never did? If we aren't seriously compatible then we'll just co-parent"_

_"That sounds wonderful and sappy but what will you tell your wife and children why you have to suddenly dash off?"_

_Mads sighed "I haven't worked every little detail out alright? I just thought of this it's going to require a lot of strength on your part and sacrifice not to mention you may want to have a back up support system when I'm not available to be with the two of you but I will try my damnedest to make sure that doesn't happen very often"_

_She sat there staring down at her soon to be protruding stomach "I don't want to get too into you and you disappoint me like everyone else. And I sure as hell will not let you hurt this baby or break their heart. If you can make two commitments at once then go for it but the moment you slack back and pull away from them or me then I'm taking them away from you and it'll be far away where you will never get your hands on them. Now is that something you can handle?"_

_Mads leaned across the bed and cupped her face giving her a deep kiss "Yeah I can do it baby."_

 


	7. Close Encounter

Hanne took a break to go to the restroom she was sitting the stall when she heard the door open "I'm looking for my grandma right now she wasn't upstairs when I got back. Probably trying to find a place to smoke some weed" her chest tightened it was Chauntelle. Hanne peered through the small opening in the door to see her standing in front of the mirror washing her hands and cradling her phone.

　

"I know Allison it's just...I'm scared because of Matty and because of Mads. I feel like I'm going to lose him I mean fuck I should've just cut it off when I had the chance. You know cut and run but I didn't. I told him about Ava and went against my own good judgment. Hang on I have to put you on speaker I'm washing my hands and face"

　

She tapped a button and set the phone aside "What good sense do you mean? You've never had any. I told you messing around with that man was trouble. It was wrong Chaun and always has been"

　

"I know Allison but you don't know what Mads and I have together. I love him and I'm not ready to let him go at least not without a fight" Chauntelle said turning the water off and grabbing paper towels.

　

Hanne heard the woman on the other end of line sigh "You will always do what you want even when you have everyone in your life that loves you telling you how wrong it is. I honestly don't know how you can live a life like that if I found out Tim was cheating on me and had another family I'd go insane and take Mavi and Ayden far away but not before that bitch got hers. I wouldn't fight her for him but I'd make sure she knew my pain and suffering. Listen I have to run to go take the boys to soccer practice call me when you know something more with Matthias. I love you biotch"

　

"I love you too biiiitch" she hung up but stood over the sink. Chauntelle broke down into tears Hanne flushed the toilet and pulled her pants up Chauntelle quickly began dabbing her eyes. Hanne prepared herself as she opened the stall Chauntelle glanced up briefly in the mirror but kept her head down. What was going on? Why wasn't Chauntelle ready to shred into her? Hanne took up the space of the second side of the sink "Sorry let me move my shit" she even apologized Hanne looked at her strangely something felt off.

　

"Are you alright?" Hanne asked "Yeah just worried about my son and my man" Chauntelle offered her a small smile packing her purse back up "Have a good day and good luck with whatever you're here for" she said to Hanne but then Hanne realized that possibly Chauntelle had never saw what Hanne looked like.

　

"Please stay for a moment you look like you need someone to talk to" Hanne had no idea what she was doing when inside she burned to claw her eyes out. "My baby boy well if you ask him he's not a baby anymore he's five he celebrated his birthday on November 22nd the same as his daddy and he's all his father up and down. Do you mind if I show you pictures? I'm such a mom"

　

"Sure" as painful as it was going to be Hanne allowed her to show her pictures of the children she had created with her husband there were lots of them on vacation and of birthdays but the one at the end nearly stopped Hanne's heart. It was a family photo with Chauntelle and Mads on vacation with their children "They certainly favor their father's looks" she had to hand the phone back before she threw it down and smashed it.

　

"Yeah the boys act like him too but I guess that's what I love most. He's a pain in the ass sometimes but he's been amazing to me and our babies. To our kids daddy is god and he can do no wrong but I'm always the bad guy. Why am I telling a complete stranger this? I'm sorry to waste your time it just feels good to talk about the good things you know?"

　

Hanne felt a stinging in her chest of envy and hatred "Yes, I understand. Listen I am meeting with a friend I should go"

　

"Oh sure I'm sorry but thanks for letting me just share with you"

　

Hanne bolted from the restroom with a red face she felt as if she were having a heart attack Cynthia found her leaning against a wall a few halls away from the cafeteria "Are you alright?"

　

She shook her head negatively "Lets get you some fresh air"

　

They walked around outside while Hanne breathed erratically and cried "Here lets go inside here and sit" Cynthia led them to a cafe. "Is everything alright?" the barista asked immediately when they entered seeing Hanne "Yes can I just get some water for her please?" the man nodded and grabbed a cup. Cynthia helped Hanne sit down "I saw her..." she choked out.

　

"You saw Chaun?" Cynthia asked taking the seat across from her "Yes" the barista brought the water "I'm fine thanks" Hanne said when she noticed he wasn't leaving.

　

"Okay you're having a panic attack let me walk you through some grounding exercises" Cynthia offered but Hanne held her hand up as she was calming down. Her flushed cheeks were returning to their normal hue "I'm fine. It was in the bathroom I came out of the stall and she looked at me through the mirror and she didn't recognize me. Has Mads never showed her pictures of me or our family?"

　

"No, they decided that when he came home to them that there would be no mention of even between Chauntelle and he about you or your kids. He even would change out of the clothes he wore to the house and not put them back on until he left to go back home to you"

　

Hanne shut her eyes and rubbed her temples "She talked to me like a friendly stranger and I even saw pictures of her kids and their family photo. Dear god it look beautiful where was that taken? Mallorca? We vacation there too. I mean it look like something that would be some poster size portrait on the fucking wall of their living room"

　

Cynthia shrank back into her seat scratching the back of her neck "It is" she muttered Hanne rolled her eyes "Figures. So their children are brainwashed to believe they are his only children?"

　

"I don't know if I'd call it brainwashed but yes they believe they are his only"

　

"And what does he tell them about where he's going? Why he was away so much?"

　

"Work, I'm sure it's the same excuse he's given you for the past sixteen years"

　

It cut Hanne deeply as she remembered all the times a sudden project sprouted up and Mads would always find a way to say it had fallen through. She never paid much attention or questioned him after all he was the actor not her "Son of a bitch!" she swore.

　

"And she had the nerve to call him **her** man. Well originally he was **my** man. You know what's so disgusting though? I felt for her not about Mads but she loves her children and that I can understand. I don't know how I'd be able to function if it were one of my kids fighting for their lives"

　

They sat there quietly for a few minutes as Hanne was struggling with her inner turmoil she knew there was more to the history she wanted to know even if ripped her apart inside she had to let Cynthia finish "Well I know how they met and how it all started but what I want from you now tell me what kind of man he has been with her, what kind of father he is to her children - please anything you can tell me. What do they fight about? How does he make her feel safe or does she make him feel safe? Who leans on who?"

　

"Okay you need to drink some water and maybe have something more substantial to eat before we continue. You just had an encounter that gave you a panic attack so just lets cool off first"

　

"Fine."

 


	8. Mads - The Thief

I'm not a religious man so I don't believe in getting on my knees and begging this higher power for forgiveness for my transgressions. Besides if you can't hear them how would you even know if they forgave you or not? Though I'm trying not to think about it because my youngest child needs my focus right now, I wonder if Hanne will forgive me.

　

Right now the future is the furthest thing from my mind because my son may not have one and I know I do not deserve such beautiful children who love me as much as they do. I wonder more than anything if they will forgive me and let me stay in their lives. It's not so much Matthias I worry about he's five and he understands that everyone messes up and boy did I make a mess out of this.

　

I'll be the first to admit I got greedy. I enjoyed having a loving and dutiful wife while also having a pretty little young thing who depended on me. My wife being the older one has always been the more mature and in control one but with Chauntelle I got to experience being the one in the driver's seat. So I may as well come out and say it I'm a selfish bastard.

　

Two women and five children I managed to have it all and then some for sixteen years and now it's all about to be taken away from me. I deserve it but there's some part of me that's fighting it and hoping at least one of them will let me stay.

　

Hanne - fuck what a woman! Strength, grace and poise who has never been afraid to speak her mind and stand up for what she believes in. Dedicated and loving to me and our family why did I have to be an immature jackass and throw it out the window?

　

She deserves better always has and I used to tell her so but she kept seeing shit in me that wasn't there. I've ruined her and I don't think she'll ever be able to forgive me or even stomach the sight of me.

　

Then there's Chauntelle - spitfire all the way, a real fighter. Determined, stubborn and erotic as hell I know my real connection with her has always been about lust but we do have our moments especially where the kids are concerned that we truly love each other. Granted I know she only loves me because she was afraid to be a mother on her own. I took her innocence and the best years of her life away. Years she could've been in university making something of herself and finding a man much better for her than me to marry and start a family with.

　

I've robbed both of them all this time I believed I was doing everything I could for them and my kids but I was only really stealing from them. I stole their youths and their lives because I just couldn't have only one. More, it was a word that after a while just drove me. I became consumed with wanting my cake and eat it too I stole the lives out of those two women to make me happy.

　

Hanne didn't mind so long as she thought that she was my one and only but now she feels alienated, broken and shattered from the inside out. Chauntelle knew and accommodated my appetites because I gave her what she craved most in life someone to never abandon her - she sold her soul to have a man who would never fully be around but she'd accept because it was all she had known.

　

How can I set the course to heal the damages done? How can I make this right?

 


	9. The Other Woman III - Does He Love You?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Does he love you   
> Like he loves me   
> Does he think of you   
> When he's holding me  
> And does he whisper of his fantasies  
> Does he love you like he's been lovin' me" - Reba McEntire & Linda Davis; "Does He Love You?"

**_June 2012; Copenhagen, Denmark_ **

_Ava sat on Maksim's skateboard at the front door rolling it side to side "Ava did you do your work today? Your tutor says you're about two weeks behind on your work" Chauntelle asked from the kitchen watching her ten year old daughter waiting for her dad to get home._

_"I did most of it yesterday. What time is dad going to be home?"_

_"Honey I don't know all he told me when he called was today he's going to trip over you if you don't move out of the doorway. Come get a snack"_

_"No, I'm fine I'm waiting for dad. Why can't we travel with him when he goes off to work?"_

_Ava and Maksim both were at curious ages always questioning she and Mads. Chauntelle was pretty clever to field their questions while Mads and her grandmother were great at distractions so they'd forget what they asked. With Chauntelle very pregnant with their third child she wasn't so dazzling enough to answer them she was just frustrated._

_"I'm too pregnant and it's not safe for me to travel Boo and you already are behind on your schoolwork I don't think we should reward you with travel do you?" she sighed leaning over the counter groaning._

_Ava got up grabbing the board and heading outside the house much to Chauntelle's relief "High five Maks that was a sweet goal" Cynthia came in with Maksim "Mom you should've seen my shot I got it passed it Mim like she was invisible!" he roared._

_"That's good sweetie, very good" Chauntelle said windedly Cynthia could see her sweating and trying to relieve the pressure on her back "Are you having contractions?"_

_"No it's too soon I'm just tired is all. I'm trying to get everything ready for Mads when he gets home"_

_"Maks why don't you go practice with Ava I think I heard her around front" Cynthia patted him on his shoulder he nodded and ran to the front door their dog Sasha came barking "Sasha! Hush! Daddy isn't home yet go lay down!" Chauntelle shouted and pointed her finger towards the living the German shepherd whimpered but retreated._

_"Hey I think you might want to go to the hospital you've been ragged all week and he's been gone for almost a month so you're emotional balance is off too"_

_"I guess maybe one of his kids got sick or his wife I don't know we don't talk about them. Grandma this baby isn't going to make it to August I can tell you that."_

_"Okay you're going to go lay down on the sofa and I'll finish up dinner. The kids can come in and finish up the cleaning" Cynthia helped Chauntelle to the sofa and got her to lay down "I think this is it grandma. I'm about to have a third child with him and as far as I know his other son is about fifteen now in three years he'll be eighteen, I'm thinking about asking Mads to leave her. His job with her will be done I mean they'll have raised two kids to completion ours has more time and I miss him so much when he's not in my arms. I hate me right now because I'm so damn clingy!"_

_"Chaun, did you ever stop and think that he loves her? That he actually is in love with her? Right now you're a mess of hormones not to mention you're tired but that's why I'm here. Don't go jumping the gun and forcing a choice on him that you'll regret later"_

_She just nodded as she was falling asleep "You're right..." she was out Cynthia went back into the kitchen with Sasha at her heels they heard a car door shut. Sasha began wagging her tail frantically and pacing the floors excitedly "What is it girl? Is it daddy? Is daddy home?" she let out a happy bark._

_Ava and Maksim were flanking their dad when he entered into the house their mouth running about different topics and at various levels "Hey guys! You two need to finish your chores and your work. Your mom is napping on the couch so be quiet" they gave their dad a couple more squeezes around his waist then trotted off still chattering. Mads set his bag down on one of the stools of the kitchen's island "How long has she been asleep?" he peeked around the corner to see Sasha trying lick Chauntelle in the face but she groaned and shielded her face with a pillow._

_"She's not doing too hot the baby might be early and she really felt your absence this time"_

_"Cynthia I know but we had a death in my wife's family I couldn't just leave them. She gets this way when she's pregnant though. I know her, she'll get up and when the kids aren't around she'll cuss me up one wall and down another. She'll demand that I leave my wife or she'll take the kids away to Pierre's. I've heard it all Cynthia but she's just emotional right now"_

_Cynthia chopped onions listening to him "Well you don't know what's it like trying to keep a ten and nine year old from going bonkers because they not only want to know now where you are all the time they want to know why they cannot go with you or why they don't attend regular school. Do you realize they have no friends? They have each other and that's it. At least if they moved to France they'd be just normal kids meeting other children. This is frustrating as hell Mads the only reason I'm here is because I would never want my granddaughter to struggle raising those kids otherwise you know how feel about this"_

_Mads hung his head but turned to her "I love Chauntelle and I love my wife. If you think this is difficult for her you're not me I'm two men in one man's body"_

_"You made this choice. This is the life you chose. You should've came clean to your wife when she told you she was pregnant with Ava. No, you had to be a stupid man and create two lives because you're selfish and cannot bear losing either one of them. One day this will all come back and bite you in the ass"_

_Mads wasn't listening he saw Chauntelle stirring on the sofa she was struggling to sit up he left the kitchen Cynthia rolled her eyes shaking her head "Damn idiot" she muttered._

  
_"Hey you" he said helping Chauntelle sit up he took a seat behind her she laid back against his chest he put his arm around her and his palm on her baby bump "Your grandmother tells me you haven't been doing so good"_

_"No, I haven't" she got short with him "It will be alright, it always is. You'll make through this pregnancy like you did the other two" he whispered kissing the top of her head._

_Hot tears blinded her she pulled away and wobbled until she could stand "I'm going upstairs to lay in the bed" she growled placing her hands on her lower back and waddling away._

_Cynthia watched as Mads just sat there she dropped the spatula and put her hands on her hips "Hey genius! Go after her and send the kids down here I need them to take out the trash"_

_Mads sighed getting up and going upstairs he knew it was only going to lead to a fight but he'd try. "Hey you go downstairs and help your Mim she needs you take the trash out where's Ava?" he passed Maksim in the hallway upstairs "She's watching a video series for her science class" Mads nodded and tossled the boy's dark hair he took off to help Cynthia. Mads peeked into Ava's room making sure she had her headphones over her ears she looked up from her laptop and waved at him he waved back then shut the door up._

_He dreaded entering into their bedroom he stood at the door just wanting to bang his head into it a few times. Mads opened it up to hear Chauntelle sobbing "Baby please, don't cry" he crawled onto the bed and laid behind her trying to pull her into his embrace but she kept trying to fight him "I can't do this anymore" she wailed sitting up._

_"We've been together for eleven years and you all of a sudden can't do this anymore? Nothing has changed baby" he tried to reason with her._

_"Nothing has changed? Everything has changed you fucking moron!" she snapped at him._

_"Don't call me that! You are hormonal as fuck right now so don't say things you're going to regret later! I'm here aren't I?"_

_"Yeah but it took longer didn't it? Pretty soon it'll get even longer than that and then before you know it not at all. I can't deal with the lonely nights or being a single mom!" and they were off and running with the fight._

_"You aren't a single mom! I'm here! What the fuck do you want from me?!" he began shouting back._

_"I DON'T WANT ANYTHING FROM YOU! I want you! I want **all** of you. Your children with her are pretty much grown"_

_Mads held his finger up for her to be quiet "What's that have to do with anything?"_

_"Don't be stupid Mads you know what it means. I want you..."_

_"No!" he tried to block her from saying it because this time she was hell bent and far more determined to make it a reality._

_"...to leave..."_

_"Shut up Chaun!"_

  
_"...her! I want you to leave her! Our family is expanding and I need you way more than she does"_

_"You knew the terms and conditions when you said yes to this life. I'm not leaving her and you have no right to ask me to do that"_

_"Oh yeah? Well speaking of rights you had no right to break your vows in the first place..."_

_"I KNOW you are NOT going there!" Mads stroked his fingers around his chin trying to hold back getting too vicious with her._

_"I may have put the brush in your hand but you sure as fuck didn't mind slapping on the white wash!"_

_"I don't have to listen to this! You take a fucking nap or whatever it takes for you to calm your ass down I'm going to go play some ball with Maks"_

_She turned way from him and crossed her arms tightly he threw his head back sighing he was angry with her but at the same time hated how much she hurt. Mads came up behind her he locked his arms around her tightly "I love you Chaun and I am doing my best but you have to understand Hanne doesn't know what you do so I cannot demand that she fall in line and cut me some slack. But you're my partner in all this and you've known from the start that they exist and I cannot walk away from them either so you need to cut me some slack. Have I ever let you down? Do I always come through for our family?"_

_Chauntelle broke down sobbing "Yes you do I know that and I'm sorry baby I just...I'm just so tired"_

_"I understand and I'm sorry that this so frustrating for you. You should get some rest your grandmother, the kids and I will take care of everything okay?"_

_She nodded letting him help her into bed "I love you Mads" he leaned down and kissed her lips "I love you too"_

_In the room next to theirs Ava had her headphones off her ears and her knees drawn up to her chest she had heard her parents arguing sometimes late at night since she was eight. She never told them but she had done a Google search on her father a month ago and she was very shocked at what she discovered. Ava clicked on a picture that came up it was her father with a much older woman the caption read that she was his wife and her name was Hanne Jacobsen. Ava then conducted a search on Hanne to find that they had been together since 1987 and had two children._

_Several times Ava wanted so desperately to ask her mother and father about it but she didn't instead she spent all her time alone in her room searching down her step mother, half siblings and learning all about who her father really was._

 


	10. Hanne - Decisions

I suppose I can take a very small measure of comfort knowing his relationship with her wasn't always a happy one, however I take no comfort in their son being on the brink of death. I had the chance to rip her apart and tear her down to size but I didn't take it, being that close to her she wasn't this big bad monster I had felt like she was. She's frail and human don't get me wrong I am still very disgusted with what they've done but she is a mother who wanted to do what was best for her children.

　

So here I sit in our living room tasked with thinking it all over and making the decision whether or not to throw him out of this house and my life. Well, through Viola and Carl he will never fully be out of my life and I get sick to my stomach when I think about telling them what he's done - if that is what I choose then I should make **him** tell them. He can break their hearts the way he did mine!

　

Looking through our family photo albums and I see how I've looked at him all that time, with absolute love and trust. Damn him! If I forgive him there will always be trust issues and I don't think any amount of marriage counseling can fix that. Marriage counseling won't make her disappear or her children disappear, it won't erase the past or the pain. And if I forgive him where would that leave the other family? Would his kids come here to see him? Would he really end it with her?

　

I feel like a weak bitch if I allow him to stay I want to punish him! I want him to fucking hurt even more than I do and I revel in the fact that when this all falls apart on him his children will hate him. Anything she or I do is minor compared to his children, they all put him on a pedestal - granted it's a very undeserved one but Chauntelle said it best when she said his children think of him like god. His heart will shatter into pieces if his kids do not love him anymore.

　

All my rage and hurt aside I start to cry thinking of throwing away thirty years even if Mads chucked it all down the toilet for the last sixteen of it I didn't. There were plenty of opportunities for me to be unfaithful but I turned them all down and they weren't worth mentioning, I had something at home that wasn't worth a moment of pleasure. I want desperately to understand why she was worth him taking his clothes off and laying with her, Cynthia can only tell me so much not really what two of them were thinking or feeling.

　

It's so hard to believe yesterday we were celebrating seventeen years of marriage it's a blur now. He stripped me of my security, my trust, my faith in him and my confidence in myself. I always have been such a strong and confident woman but upon seeing his other woman being so young and even bearing three kids looks like a goddess. I guess she was a great source of comfort when I performed less in the bed because I've always been aging faster than him and when my time came for Mother Nature to take back it's gift I felt insecure enough then. But I tried to please him even through the soreness, dryness and lack of desire he acted as if it weren't an issue but now that I think of it he spent an awful lot of time away from us around that time. In fact, when I sit here and count back the years to when his fifth child was conceived that's when menopause began. He was planning a fifth child with his obviously very fertile mistress while my womb, my ovaries and my entire sexuality was dying - I'm back to wanting to choke him!

　

He is not the man in these photographs I don't know if he **ever** was that man. I should just let her have him but then there's this sick and deranged part of me that wants to demand he leave her make her suffer without him. He'd suffer being cut off from sex because I sure the fuck wouldn't put out and he'd have to watch her find another man to fuck her and raise his children. That would absolutely kill Mads another man stepping into his shoes and invading his territory like a dog marking his scent all over her.

　

No matter what path I take there are pros and cons lucky for Mads he has this time while his son is sick for me to process everything and give it real serious thought. I want to crawl in a hole and just shut the world out but all the sleep in the world won't help me. Time to put these pictures away and start seriously thinking about what I'm going to do - and I know it seems beyond possible but I do still love him. Right now I feel like I should be ashamed that I do but it's still there even if it's in pieces.

　

The doorbell is the last thing I want to hear because that means someone is trying to get in here with me and I do not feel like faking my way through a visitor. Maybe if I don't answer they'll go away but what if it's Carl or Viola? I'll at least see who it is before I turn them away. Oh my god I can't believe **she** is standing here at my doorstep.

 


	11. No Going Back

Hanne stood at the open door with her mouth slightly agape as she was staring down Mads and Chauntelle's daughter Ava. "Sweetie what are you doing here? How did you get here?"

　

"I ordered an Uber from my phone may I come in?" she was very polite and well composed but Hanne sensed that probably under the surface she was in turmoil.

　

She nodded moving aside so Ava could enter she removed her gloves and held out her hand "I am Ava Moon Odette Mikkelsen" Hanne looked down at her hand then to her face "Hanne, Hanne Jacobsen. How did you find me?" she accepting the shake.

　

Ava looked around the foyer and peeked into the living room "Well, I've had this address for two years since I was thirteen but I've known about you since I was eleven. I did a Google search on my dad and when I saw you at the hospital in the elevator I knew it was time to meet you. It means you found my dad out"

　

"Honey your parents are probably worried sick about you" Hanne wasn't prepared to do this not with a fifteen year old girl.

　

"It's fine I left a note with my Mim she won't find it right away but my parents are dealing with a lot right now so I'm under their radar. Are Viola and Carl here?"

　

Hanne was blown away by just how much Ava had figured out "Um no Viola is with her boyfriend and Carl is with his friends on vacation, can I get you something to drink?"

　

Ava stopped scanning the surroundings and looked at her with sympathetic brown eyes, they were Mads's eyes "You don't have to trouble yourself for me. I came to talk to you and I have things I want to know if you wouldn't mind"

　

She was such a graceful teenage girl who had been carrying around an awful weight suddenly Hanne didn't feel alone in the mess. Hanne nodded and led the girl into the living room she offered to take her coat and backpack purse Ava took them off and handed them over then took a seat on the couch. Ava noticed Hanne couldn't take her eyes off of her "You stared at us in the elevator just like that"

　

"I'm sorry it's just you all three look him. Identical to him it's scary" she gave her an awkward small.

　

"Yes, our mother has weak genealogy more recessive than dad's. I've seen Viola and Carl she looks like you and Carl favors dad more. I would love to meet them but I'm sure we're not there yet or if we'll ever get that far" she saddened making Hanne's heart clench.

　

"Can I ask, what made you search for information on your father?"

　

"He and my mom get into explosive arguments and have since I was eight. My bedroom is right next door to theirs so I hear everything, they would think that I had my headphones listening to music at night but that's how I always fooled them. It's wrong to lie to my parents but it's wrong that they've lied to me and my brothers plus you and my half siblings"

　

Hanne felt tears trying to force their way out when Ava called her children siblings "I'm sorry if that's inappropriate for me to call them but it's true biologically we share a father"

　

"It's difficult and complicated but yes it's true but you've lived with this all this time and kept it bottled up?"

　

Ava sighed, "Yes, I love my dad and my mom I know what they've done is wrong an maybe I am too for not speaking up..."

　

"No, sweetie you are one of the victims here please don't blame yourself" Hanne instinctively reached out for Ava's hand and gave it a squeeze.

　

"..but I was afraid that my dad would run off forever and then my brothers would hate me for making him leave and so would my mom. I didn't want to hurt my little brother and my baby brother and to be honest I didn't want my life to change. I became withdrawn after I searched him I'd spend hours just in my room looking at pictures of you and your children. I was trying so hard to understand why he did it, any of it. Eventually I had to make a hard choice to abandon my obsession before it consumed me and just let my life flow, I forgave my dad and mom but I promised that if the day ever came that you found out then I'd come. Here we are"

　

They both sat there silently Hanne still holding her hand "Was it hard for you to forgive him?"

　

"If you're asking thinking I can help you know what to do I'm afraid I can't. I've loved him differently than you, he's my father and the only one I'll ever have. So not forgiving him would mean shutting him out and heading down a long dark road to unsavory relationships with older men who would most likely trap me - kind of like my mom"

　

It was impressive but sad how mature Ava was for her age and how much she had to hold back "You said you had things you'd like to know what would you like me to tell you?"

　

Ava sat with a thoughtful look on her face "I guess what is your family like? What kind of father is he to Carl and Viola?"

　

"Well, we're a tight knit family well I guess we were. Our children see us as friends now that they're older we tried not to restrict them or oppress them in any way. Mads has always been a wonderful father ever since Viola first came into this world she is daddy's princess. Carl acts just like him and they're very tight"

　

Ava smiled, "Sounds just like our family except there's always this uneasiness between my parents it's like an elephant in the room. My brother Maksim cannot pick up on it he's not a perceiver he's a sensor but me I'm highly intuitive, I feel energies. My mom is the forebearer of most of it she is miserable not having him all to herself and feeling like second place to you. She resents my dad and I think sometimes she wants to let him go but she fears what's beyond it but in the same breath she wants to keep him. He is oblivious to her resentment because he's balancing himself the two sides and two families so it's hard for him to personalize everything with her. He does better with us kids"

　

"Wow that's an impressive assessment have you always had a mind for psychology? I know your Mim is a psychologist"

　

"Yes, I do have a keen interest and when I get into university I'm going to study it. My dad would be a perfect case study"

　

Hanne knew Ava was being serious but it made her crack a smile "I'm sorry but that is very true. Freud would have a field day with him"

　

"Do you think you can repair and rebuild with my dad? Can you forgive him?"

　

"Well that's difficult to say right now I have yet to even speak to him about this"

　

Ava nodded, "You now have the unfortunate task of deciding the future because no matter what you choose it will affect not just your life but mine and five others"

　

"What'd you mean?"

　

"This isn't just between you and my dad anymore or even you and my mom. The children you collectively share, our lives will be altered. You decide to throw him out you'll have to reveal him to Carl and Viola which eventually will reveal him to my brothers. I can see how in revenge terms that is most appealing because it would hit my dad where it hurts the most but think of how hurt they will be? I know he brought this all on himself but what if there were another way? You can hate him for all eternity until the end of time if you so choose but why do more hearts have to break? Why hurt unnecessary people?"

　

"Ava, you're fifteen you don't understand any of this and it's easier on paper to believe that things will not change"

　

There was an uneasy silence and Hanne withdrew her hand "You must think I'm an asshole now"

　

"I don't think that. I see that you're trying to protect your brothers and possibly my own children. I respect that but I couldn't live like that and to ask someone to is horrible"

　

Ava's phone began ringing it was Chauntelle "Shit it's my mom. I have to go but I implore you to think everything over, at every angle and possibility. Every consequence of every action and how it will shape the bigger picture. Then when you get a chance you need to talk to both of them. As much as I would love to be in Viola and Carl's lives my heart yearns to protect my brothers more see I am their keeper and my dad is their hero, I don't want anyone to lose or get hurt and in a perfect world no one would because my father would've been faithful. I'm so sorry he did this to you and you have every right to hurt him back and my mom too. Do what you must but make sure you can live with the outcome. I have to go she's probably going nuclear right now...hello mom" Ava answered the call before grabbing her coat and purse.

　

Once she was gone Hanne sat there on the sofa in tears with a new perspective from and unexpected source.

**

　

"What the hell is the matter with you? Running off when we're in the middle of a family crisis that's really mature Ava. You're grounded for two weeks!" Chauntelle shouted at her daughter in the empty waiting room.

　

"I had something to take care" Ava mumbled. "I'm sorry I don't recall asking for sass when I said grounded for two weeks that was the end of it"

　

"Look, I know you're in a mood about Matty but you don't get to be a tyrant. We have a democracy in our family that we get to give an explanation before punishment is doled out. You and dad set that in place so I would like to explain myself"

　

"Wow Ava you have balls right now" Maksim chimed in "Grandma take Maks to the cafeteria and get him something to eat while I talk to Ava alone"

　

"Alright c'mon Maks before you're in the hot seat. Remember we talked about that mouth" they exited the room.

　

Chauntelle took a seat next to Ava "Okay kiddo spit it out where did you go? And why was it so important to you?"

　

"She came here"

　

"Who sweetie?"

　

"Hanne, dad's wife"

  
Chauntelle felt her heart drop "Wwhat are you talking about?" she laughed nervously. "Mom please don't do the awkward laugh with the denial. Can we talk about this like adults?"

　

"Ava..." Mads interrupted Chauntelle when he entered the room "They're taking Matthias down for dialysis we have to go with him"

　

Chauntelle was suddenly caught up between two of her children "Honey we're going to talk about this later okay? Please don't say anything to Maks" she whispered in her ear as she gave her a kiss.

　

"Okay mom" she squeezed her hand. Mads took Ava's hand next and pulled her out of the chair and squeezed her "I love you Boo Bear" he whispered as his tears fell and dripped into her hair "I love you too daddy"

　

Ava took her seat and sighed there was no going back.

 


	12. All We Have Is Now

It was late at night before they got Matthias back to his room Chauntelle and Mads were exhausted from being awake so long it was also coupled with the emotional roller coaster they were both on. She checked phone while he sat by the bed and watched him resting he looked like a little angel "Grandma took Maks and Ava home" she informed him.

　

"They don't need to be here all night it's not good for them. It's not good for us but we're his parents"

　

Chauntelle zoned out her mind was back in the waiting room when Ava told her that Mads's wife came to the hospital and that Ava knew about her she had to tell Mads. "Do you want to go get something to eat? The cafeteria is closed but the nurses told me about this all night cafe around the corner that has good sandwiches"

　

"No, I'm not hungry" he refused "Mads I insist there's something I really need to talk to you about. Matty is out for the night and we'll be back to see him wake up in the morning"

　

Mads sighed scooting the chair away from the bed and getting up to follow her. She waited until they took their seats at the cafe before she opened up "Ava knows"

　

"Knows? Knows what?" Mads asked opening the box with his food inside. "She knows about your wife and apparently knows what she looks like because Ava said that she came to the hospital"

　

Mads smirked "I doubt that"

　

"What part do you doubt? That Ava knows or that she came to the hospital?"

　

"Both" he said taking a bite of his sandwich "Oh yeah? Well how does she know her name is Hanne?"

　

He stopped eating and dropped his sandwich "She told you this?"

　

"Yes, we were supposed to talk about it when the dialysis was over but I didn't know it was going to take so long but don't worry I told her not to tell Maks" Chauntelle wiped her fingers then threw the napkin in the box she couldn't eat anymore.

　

Mads had pretty much figured out how Ava would have figured any of it out they didn't keep their children away from technology even though he insisted they monitor them more closely on it but Chauntelle didn't agree so they had unrestricted access to the world through their computers and phones "Ava is a resourceful and clever girl she probably searched me"

　

"Yes, but why? What would make her do that?"

　

He shrugged he was trying to be calm but inside he was on fire with worry about how Ava felt and what he must think of him "I want to be there when you talk to her"

　

"What does Hanne look like?" Chauntelle asked suddenly she had been with him for sixteen years and had never had the temptation to look her up.

　

Mads took out his phone and went through his camera roll album and pulled up a picture of the two of them together. Chauntelle's eyes bulged "Son of a bitch! I saw her this afternoon in the bathroom near the cafeteria. I went looking for my grandma she was in there. She fucking talked to me like a friendly stranger"

　

"So maybe she doesn't know what you look like"

　

"I showed her pictures of our family Mads. You gonna tell me she didn't recognize her own husband? She followed you!"

　

"Relax, I will handle this you're in no condition..."

　

"Shut the hell up Mads! Don't try to placate me right now it will not work in your favor. She has crossed the line into my territory coming near our children!" Chauntelle abruptly got up from the chair and stormed out of the cafe.

　

Mads rushed out after her but she had disappeared down one of the many side streets "CHAUN?" he shouted but she was long gone he had to go home before she got there.

　

Chauntelle watched from the shadows in an alley as Mads got into a cab she stepped out after it pulled away from the curb and hailed her own "Follow that cab" she instructed Mads was doing the work for her. Hanne crossed a delicate line to Chauntelle and she was about to know the error of her ways.

**

　

Mads rushed out of the cab and to the front door fumbled to get his keys out of his pocket "So this is your other home" he turned to see Chauntelle behind him.

　

"You led me right to her. She's not the only one with tricks up her sleeve. You must have a thing for cunning women now step aside I'm going to ring the bell and knock her out"

　

Mads blocked the door "No, you're not. You're coming with me back to the hospital. You're way too emotional right now and unstable"

　

"Yeah I know but you forgot to mention my anger issues. That bitch approached our daughter I won't let that slide so get out of my fucking way Mads!"

　

He stood strong against her but Hanne hearing the commotion outside opened the front door "What is going on out here?"

　

Chauntelle reacted quickly and ran towards her but was caught in the torso by Mads she was trying to reach her arms across him "YOU BITCH!" she screamed. Hanne backed into the house "Mads what the hell is she doing here?"

　

"I came to kick your ass! Coming to the hospital to spy on us? Talking to my daughter! I'm going to tear your fucking eyes out!" she struggled in Mads's grip.

　

"Me? I'm the problem? **You slept** with **my husband** but I'm the one who should be ashamed? You are warped!"

　

"You had your chance to confront me in the bathroom but you chickened out, good call by the way I would've destroyed you!" she began to tire out collapsing against Mads's chest.

　

The three of them stood there in silence both women crying tears of frustration, anger and hurt "Get off me!" she shoved Mads away and then sauntered off.

　

Mads felt stuck between chasing after Chauntelle and staying with Hanne he turned to his wife with a questioning gaze "I can't tell you what to do. Go after her if you want I obviously couldn't stop you from chasing her ass before"

　

But Chauntelle had returned "I don't give a shit if you come at me but stay the hell away from my kids!"

　

"Your daughter came to me. She's known about me since she was eleven I only wanted to know..."

　

"Fuck you!" Chauntelle went to charge but Mads began dragging her away "I said get off me!"

　

"NO! You need to calm yourself down before you end up in jail. Our children need you right now especially Matthias so get your shit together and let me take you back to the hospital"

　

Chauntelle was too tired to fight him "You got lucky that I don't have the energy and that I don't want to go to jail" she pointed her finger at Hanne in warning as Mads shoved her backwards until they were out on the sidewalk.

　

Mads took her into his arms "I'm going to lose you aren't I?" she bawled. "I'm here right now and that's what matters. All we have is now."

 


	13. Chauntelle - Losing Everything

Ever since after I was six years old I feared everyone would leave me. I found it extremely difficult to let anyone in including my grandparents and they were the ones who took me in to raise me. All my life I have put up walls to keep people out just so I could prevent them from ever having the power to hurt me.

　

One best friend since I was seven and I call her daily to keep in touch, visit four times a year in New York City but still I fear Allison will find another best friend. My grandmother uprooted her home in California to move to Denmark after my grandfather's passing to help me with my kids but I still fear the day she'll leave this world and me. My grandpapa has only been in my life since I was thirteen and he's always there no matter how often I call he drops everything for me but still I am terrified of the day I will call and he won't answer. I know my kids will always love me and will still need me at different stages in their adult lives but somewhere in the back of my mind I fear that they'll leave home and never look back.

　

So you can imagine the fear I have about Mads it went against my nature of blocking people out but I really believed we were just going to have a sexual relationship and that be it. But no it turned into like then into love and now I'm fighting to hold onto a man that wasn't even mine to begin with. Even if I win do I really win? If I win I'm a disgrace and if I lose then I'm alone.

　

Several times during our relationship there were times I felt strong enough to tell Mads goodbye but he'd come home and there would be a moment or something he'd say or a look he'd give me and I melted for him. Seeing him with the kids definitely makes it harder he's the father to them I had always wished for to have for myself and I became the mother to my kids I needed growing up. We make a great team for them but as far as us that was an illusion.

　

I don't know why I attacked Hanne - okay so maybe I do. It's my fear that she'll keep him and then my children will follow him and they'll see that she's probably more wonderful than I am and want to stay with them. The awful thing about fear is the more you concentrate on it the more you're willing it into being. I'm losing my family and falling apart.

 


	14. The Price

Mads blinked his eyes a couple times as he was waking up in the recliner next to Matthias's bed he saw Ava standing in front of him "Hey you" he reached out and touched her hand.

　

"Hey how'd you sleep?" she asked watching her mother's breathing as she laid curled up next to her baby brother "Like shit you?"

　

"Same"

　

"Do you wanna take a walk with your dear old dad and talk about it?"

　

Ava nodded aggressively he grabbed his gloves and coat then followed her out the room. They walked down the streets of Copenhagen silently at first until one of them would be able to figure out how to lead the conversation "So you know about Hanne?" Mads started because he could sense Ava was mixed up with her thoughts and unable to put them together enough to speak.

　

"Yeah I have since I was eleven"

　

"All this time and you didn't say anything?" Mads shoved his hands into his coat pockets keeping his head down.

　

"I wanted to but I was afraid of what kind of door it might open if I did. Don't worry I haven't told Maks" he stopped walking and stopped her as well. Tears were welling up in his eyes looking at her "I am so sorry to have lied to you and your brothers. But why did you search me?"

　

Ava bit down on her bottom lip nervously "One night I heard you mom fighting and she mentioned **them** and **her** I was curious and once I did it there was no undoing it. I was obsessed with them you felt like a stranger to me all of a sudden, like I didn't know you anymore"

　

"No baby you know me. You do the only lie was about them existing but you know me. I would never fake my feelings for you or pretend to love you" he just wanted to hang onto her but she was slipping out of his grasp with every bit of the truth unravelling before them Ava was slipping away.

　

"I hope so. But I had to quit thinking about it so much and I did put it away because I didn't want to lose you"

　

Mads wrapped himself around her as they both cried "You will never lose me Ava. I am your father and always will be no matter how many families I have nothing will stop me from being your dad"

　

Ava laid her head aside his chest she could hear his heart beating through his sweater "Daddy what's going to happen from here?"

　

"I don't know baby but I promise you no matter what happens you, Maks and Matthias - I will always be here for you. Even if you hate my guts I will not abandon you three"

　

"What about Carl and Viola? What about Hanne and mom?" she asked looking up at him with his same eyes. She cared so much about every single life affected it was far too much for a teenager to bear he hated himself because she was weighed down with what he should've been concerned about.

　

"I am their father too and even if they do not forgive me I will always love them and be there for them too. As for your mom and Hanne I don't know what to do, I still love them both"

　

Ava wrapped her arms around him tighter "Why did you talk to her? It made your mom crazy she followed me there and tried to attack Hanne. Is that where you disappeared to yesterday?"

　

"Yes, I had to meet her face to face. I spent years cyber stalking her and your other children, I had to dad. I had to know what she was like and she seems really nice. Stepping into your house was like The Twilight Zone. It was like stepping into another universe only you exist in and there were familiar pieces of you all around like at our house. I want to be in that universe as well, I want you to stop being two men and choose one of them. But then I want this to go on so nothing has to break so my brothers will not be tainted by the truth! Dad why did you do this?! Why?! Why did you do this to your children?! To the woman who said she'd spend the rest of her life with you? Why were we born?" Ava bawled trying to get out of his grasp.

　

"Ava! Ava please! I love you - all of you very much. I didn't mean to hurt anyone..."

　

"Dad that's bull shit! You had to know that this would someday happen! That those worlds would collide. You don't get to be greedy and not pay the price!" she shouted at him shoving him away from her.

　

"I'm sorry! Yes, I fucked up this is on me but I am still your father and I do not appreciate you talking to me like this"

　

"Why not? Because it makes you feel guilt? You should feel guilty dad you potentially ruined seven human beings lives. You broke seven hearts and for what? So you could have two women?! That's great you thought about what you wanted but did it ever occur to you what mom or Hanne wanted? What they both needed? The role of a spouse is to also care and nurture their significant other's needs but you only focused on yours. I don't doubt you've worked hard to be a provider for two families but it was all unnecessary. It was optional so don't ever try to lay a guilt trip on any of us because you alone made this decision. Dad, you know mom is unstable sometimes with her ADHD, depression and anxiety issues not to mention her abandonment issues and anger she's spiraling now and you're in no condition to help her because your life is spiraling. I'm going back to the hospital and do my best to be there for mom because if someone doesn't step up she's going to lose it and she's going to jail or worse prison"

　

"She's not been taking her meds?" he walked to keep up with her "No, dad she gets to feeling okay then she thinks she can quit them until grandma convinces her to take them again but grandma is such a pushover sometimes"

　

"Why are you just now telling me this? You should have told me sooner"

　

"Why? You've had your hands full. Besides we've managed to keep mom on the straight and keep her occupied. We've been doing it since birth keeping her together. Dad you need to take care of things with Hanne at least enough so you can be present for mom and Matty. Maks, grandma and I will do what we can. Go home to her and start sorting so you get an idea of how this is gonna go. Happy Anniversary by the way" Ava shoved her hands in her coat and stomped away.

　

 


	15. Maybe One Day

When Hanne came downstairs to make her some coffee she came in to see Mads making them both a cup "Good morning" he greeted her in a low voice.

　

"What are you doing here? Your psycho girlfriend isn't going to pop out of one of our cabinets and claw me to death is she?" she asked crossing her arms.

　

"No, Chauntelle is with our son. She's just afraid Hanne and she's never been good with her feelings she has everything to lose" he placed the cup in front of her and slid the saucer forward "Would you like breakfast?"

　

"No I would not. And I suppose I won't be losing anything at all? No of course not just a thirty year relationship. All my hard work down the toilet right? It's no big deal because she's so fragile! Well, if she didn't want to have to possibly step in the ring one day she should've left you alone"

　

"This isn't all her fault okay? I took her from a girl and I put her through this. I'm all she's ever known..."

　

Hanne held up her hand to stop him "I don't care Mads save your fucking excuses and explanations. Listen to me she is not even half the woman I have been to you! I **am** your wife! I sacrificed my body to give you children, I gave up my career as a dancer and choreographer to raise them and take care of you! I have cried, stood and fought by your side! I fucking held you up when you were down so I do **NOT** deserve to hear you make excuses for that whore! All that is sounding like to me is the reasons you should stay with her. But the choice really is yours I don't know why I've bent myself out of shape over this, I'm not begging you to stay but you should consider this - one day Mads you'll be too old to get your dick hard enough to satisfy your pretty young thing and then what goes around will come back around she'll cheat, she'll find another man. See lust has an expiration date, now she may love you I cannot prove she does or doesn't but she'll eventually leave you. Chauntelle needs you now because you have one more child that's underage and I think you wanted that boy because you knew as soon as your oldest two with her flew the coop what would stop her from leaving you? Her obligation would be fulfilled and if you believe no men ever hit on her then you're absolutely crazy. I can see the appeal she's beautiful but you know deep down she's poison don't you Mads?"

　

He had nothing to say he just hung his head he was crying again "That's what I thought. I still see through you I just had to get my feelings under control to see through why you wanted her so damn bad. She cannot turn back the clock for you or keep you young. Mads she doesn't know you like I do and will never love you the way I have..the way I always will"

　

Mads glanced up at her "You want to work this out?"

　

Hanne sighed as her own tears began to fall "I have given this so much thought, ran through my mind forwards and backwards it feels like it's been weeks but it's only been twenty four hours. I've thought about what Ava said to me, what Cynthia told me and Chauntelle's rash behavior. I've thought about our children and I do not want to see them destroyed by your selfishness..."

　

"Hanne what are you saying?" her talking in circles was driving Mads to the edge.

　

She couldn't look at him "We're going to keep this our secret but you have to stop seeing her. You may visit with your children but you may not spend the night there, if you want to overnight with them you take them to a hotel or Chauntelle has to leave temporarily while you spend time with them. You can tell your sons you share with her that your relationship has ended, she has a support system in her grandmother she'll recover. Please tell Ava it's nothing personal but I do wish that she not reach out to Carl or Viola. If you don't accept then I will send a wrecking ball through our family and I will leak it to the media, you and Chauntelle will never have peace again then I will divorce you and take everything including our children's love and respect for you"

　

"You're basically blackmailing me I thought you were better than that" Mads was appalled.

　

"Excuse me? I thought **you** were better than cheating on me but I was wrong. I'm only doing this to protect all five children. They are the innocent ones take it or leave it Mads but everything I promised I will do"

　

Mads stood red faced with shame, tears pouring he nodded his head in agreement "Alright. It's over between her and I"

　

"Good and we're going to marriage counseling. You should probably get back to the hospital, you don't have to tell her now because I'm sure she's got a full plate of pain with your son but when he's better then you break it to her gently or as hard as you want I don't care. I agonized over this Mads and while I'm not happy with any of it I love our children enough to protect their image of you they don't deserve to suffer this devastation. Maybe one day I'll love you again like I used to but you are going to have to work your ass off!"

 


	16. Hanne - Don't Think Me Weak

I know you're probably outraged by my decision to forgive Mads, work it out and keep his secret. I grew up hearing this over and over that hating someone is easy but it takes true strength to forgive so please don't think me weak. Trust will have to be rebuilt and intimacy will be a ghost only faking it in front of friends and family but I do hope one day it can be genuine again.

　

Mads will always have to suffer with this secret it'll kill him more than it will ever kill me. He is drinking is own poison because he will forever live with knowing the damage he really did. As for his other children I know someday maybe their paths will cross with my own children that's a risk I'll just have to take. I don't look for Chauntelle to remain in Denmark after Mads cuts her loose which it wouldn't hurt my feelings if she did that decreases the chances of our children's lives overlapping.

　

I'm still in pieces but I took back my control and held onto one piece of my foundation. I don't need him but I do still love him even if it's a pile of ashes something can be salvaged. What would you have done if you were in my position? You can say all day long this or that but it's not until it all implodes and you're in the center then you'll know but I hope you never have to find out.

 


	17. Hævn

**One year later...**

　

Mads was at the door when Ava answered "Hey dad" they embraced he entered the house it felt strange ringing the doorbell but he didn't live there anymore. He came into the kitchen Matthias spotted him his eyes lighting up "Daddy!" Mads crouched down and took him into his arms, he had made a full recovery after getting a donor kidney in the summer "I'm so glad you're here to hang out with us tonight"

　

"Me too what are we going to do?"

　

Matthias tapped his finger to his chin "Eat junk food and play video games!"

　

"Um I don't think so just because you have a new kidney does not mean you're going to ruin it with junk and you still need to go to bed at a decent time okay?" Chauntelle heard them as she came into the kitchen wearing a sleek black dress that showed off her cleavage with knee high black heeled boots "Mommy you look pretty!"

　

"Thank you baby boy but you still aren't binging on junk food or staying up late okay? Give me a kiss" Matthias broke from Mads running to his mom. They made fish lips and pecked then he scampered off through the house "Make sure Maks does his homework, no skateboarding in the house oh and no scary movies for Matty he'll have nightmares" she reminded him but he was still stunned by how good she looked.

　

"So who is this new guy?"

　

"He's a guy I've known since June we've only been dating for a few months"

　

"Does he know you have kids?"

　

"Yes and it doesn't bother him" she put the dishes away Mads helped by getting the high shelf "Those boots give you a lift but not by much"

　

"Thanks" she said gathering her purse "What's his name?"

　

"None of your business"

　

"Why is he such a secret? Is he married?"

　

"No, he's twelve years younger than me if you must know so I'm not trying to bring him around until I'm sure we have a lasting thing"

　

Mads began sulking "A younger man?"

　

"What? Are you jealous? Mads it's not like I'm obligated to stay single. You rolled right over when push came to shove now if you'll excuse me I'm going to be late"

　

Mads grabbed the back of her arm "I did it for my children all of them. I still do for them don't I?"

　

"Yes" she hissed jerking her arm away glaring at him as she left.

　

Chauntelle gave herself one last mirror check before exiting the car she spotted her date waiting outside the restaurant she smiled to herself as she applied her lipgloss. Hanne may have made it impossible for her to get her hands on Mads but she couldn't stop Chauntelle from dating her son. After talking to Ava she learned his name then looked into him and from there it was too simple to arrange an accidental meeting. She used their dog Sasha for the introduction it was almost too easy and she made her move after spending months getting to know him. He was a great guy and Chauntelle enjoyed his company but she would enjoy crushing Hanne even more.

　

"Sorry I'm late you got the third degree from my childrens father"

　

"He sounds like a dick but I guess I can understand he wants to know who's going to be around his children. You look amazing" he complimented her kissing her cheek.

　

"So do you. You clean up nicely I might have to call and tell him to stay the night with the kids and check us into a hotel" she raised her eyebrows seductively.

　

He smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist "I hope you don't mind but I invited my sister and her boyfriend for a double date. I'm ready for you to start meeting my family and I want to meet to your kids"

　

A huge grin spread across her face "That would be wonderful I'd love nothing more than that Carl."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hævn is Danish for "Revenge"


End file.
